Blackout Scream
by Apocalyptical Angel
Summary: Halloween brings another Horror Movie to the box office and Veronica's job on the paper lands her with a film review. But spending the night alone with the ghosts, ghouls and demons is enough to put her directly in the arms of something much scarier; a big bad biker with a throbbing crush.
1. I'd do anything for the Newspaper

**Blackout Scream**

 **Summary** : Halloween brings another Horror Movie to the box office and Veronica's job on the paper lands her with a film review. But spending the night alone with the ghosts, ghouls and demons is enough to put her directly in the arms of something much scarier; a big bad biker with a throbbing crush.

 **Rating** : M (Sexual situations, descriptive violence, language, racial/gender stereotypes)

 **Pairing:** Eli 'Weevil' Nevarro and Veronica Mars (I just can't get over these two)  
 **Disclaimer** : I play with borrowed toy, make no claims to the rights and make no profit. If you do wish to pay me, it should be in smiles, reviews and a mental 'yeah, I liked this'.

 **Warnings** : There is no place within the series for this, I'd guess season 1-ish. Presume there was no romantic stuff with Logan or Duncan or anybody else, because all we need in life is a hot biker with big strong arms, right?

Also, I do respect that a school teacher would not ask a student to review a film with an age rating that would fit a horror (18+) but you're gunna have to jump over that plot hole.

* * *

 **Chapter One: I'd do anything for the Newspaper, but I won't do that.**

"And you're sure?" Veronica set the cornflakes back in the cupboard and turned around to her father as he asked her the same question for the fifth time. "You'll be alright?" He was halfway out of the door, carry-on bags in hand.

"I promise." She rolled her eyes and slipped onto the stool at the breakfast bar, cheerios, cookie crisps and cocopuffs had finally been joined by cornflakes in the ultimate bowl of breakfast goodness. "And I know the rules; only throw a rager if I can afford the cheap strippers and out of date booze."

"You forgot about all the unprotected sex." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"I know, I know." She smiled up at him, spoon poised to her mouth. "Encourage at all times." It was a twisted goodbye when it had happened so many times previously. The humour helped to cover the pain of the truth; her father spent a lot of the holidays away from her. It wasn't by choice, but by necessity of work, of money, of feeding them both and keeping the roof over their heads. "Fingers crossed you catch him pants-down." She mumbled around a mouthful of cereal.

"I've got my cell." he repeated. "Call me. If you need anything, or you know, if you get lonely and miss me." He rubbed the dozing dog on the head as he stepped out the door. Backup sat on his haunches, ready to miss his master. But Veronica's reply had her father pausing.

"I'll be fine. Eli will probably come over after school."

"Eli." Veronica watched her father tense, his upper body turn and then his feet step back into the apartment. Surely enough, every memory of slapping Eli in handcuffs had stormed back to her father.

"Don't." she warned, her empty spoon extended out to point at him. "You said you'd try."

"I am trying." he disagreed and set the carry-on bag down by the door. "I didn't interrogate him instantly when he stepped foot into the apartment."

"No, those five seconds you waited were _very_ polite."

"And," he started, crossing over to the breakfast island. "And, I haven't had to arrest him for, oohhhh, let's see, a year?" he offered.

"I like that, see. Progress." she commented.

"Of course, perhaps some of my old friends on the force can't say the same." he pondered, resting his head on his hand and tilting it perfectly to make his point. Eli was far from perfect for his daughter.

"Relax daddy-oh, we'll catch a movie and get take-out." She smiled. "For you, I will even send him home the second the credits roll."

"Uh-huh, your mother used to tell her father that when she was meeting with me you know."

"And look how well that turned out." She grinned, scooping another spoonful of breakfast.

"Yes, you came along." he answered smartly.

"You're going to be late." She nodded at the clock on the oven.

He had a flight to chase a cheating husband across state lines for a 'business trip'. A flight that was going to leave without him if he kept stalling.

"Maybe I should cancel." he thought aloud, concerned.

"Backup will stay in the room the entire time." Veronica insisted, earning a flash of eyes from the grumpy looking dog that had also adopted his master's feelings towards Eli. "I promise. Nothing hinky." Veronica pushed off the stool and rounded her father picking up his bag for him. She knew too well he would 'accidentally' miss his flight if he carried on like this.

"Hinky." he repeated. "Is that a cousin of kinky, because you know how I feel about kinky."

"You're making me late for school and my cereal is going soggy." Veronica held out her arm, the bag extended out of the door. A clear direction. "Now be a good breadwinner and go catch a cheater. I will be here awaiting your steaks for grilling when you return."

"You'll get some more of that special hot sauce?" he asked, bartering with her in the doorway.

"Not if you make me late for school."

"And don't eat them all." He accepted the travel bag in a father-daughter bear hug. Veronica looked at the tub of candy on the kitchen side as her father tried to fuse her ribs into one protective shield. Halloween Candy.

For tomorrow night. "Alright, save me the gummy ones." He grinned and stepped out. "And don't forget the sauce." With the door closed behind her father, Veronica returned to grunt at her soggy cereal and decided to focus on surviving school on October 30th. A feat within itself.

* * *

Everything went well (as fine as could be with the various Halloween pranks occurring) until her afterschool newspaper class. She'd been sitting in the news room, fingers tapping out an article on the new English teacher, Mr Jefferson, when her current English teacher and editor leaned over her shoulder and asked her if she'd mind contributing a film review for the paper's special edition tomorrow; the schedules had cut tight and gaps needed filling. Not wanted to disappoint, but too engrossed in deciding how far to transcribe the passage about Mr Jefferson's failed marriage she replied a quick ' _yeah, of course, no problem'_ , and as such, it had landed her with the object currently in her hands under the scrutiny of an intense stare.

She hadn't even looked at the advanced copy of the DVD until 4 o'clock had rolled around and the news room had emptied.

But it had all come to sense as she walked under orange and black crepe paper decoration, courtesy of the cheerleaders.

Tomorrow was the special Halloween edition of the paper. It would include trivia on the holiday, origins, scary stories, haunted house and Halloween party information and apparently now; the film review of the latest horror.

Red writing scrawled out the title in her hand.

 _Blackout Scream_.

It was still in its first week on screening, but through connections in the 09'er form, the AV geeks had been gifted a copy and thus, so had the newspaper.

Needless to say, it was the latest horror craze sweeping the school.

Even the cover image made the plastic spiders hanging from the lights and strategically placed 'bloody' handprints seem comically cute in comparison. The pep squad had more than enough pep for _all_ holidays, regardless of theme. The school board had fought too many losing battles to even attempt to rein them in when armed with paper mache and coloured paper.

Veronica set her feet in the direction of her locker, walking under the obviously plastic skeleton that dangled from a glittery noose.

A film review would have been great; had it been an action or a romance.

But no, her too busy mind had forgotten the holiday season between her mound of biology homework and essay for English. Quite simply, Veronica hated horror movies.

Hated.

It wasn't greatly known and she worked to keep it that way. Last thing she wanted was the interrogation round of 'you see worse everyday with your PI side gig, how can you possibly be scared of this stuff?'. Simply; horror movies show the impossible and make you believe it to be possible, it turns true stories into fabricated fictional torment for kicks and money.

She tried watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre once at a sleepover with Lily. She hadn't slept a wink for three days. A chill had thundered up her spine at any unexpected buzzing machinery.

And now, she was stuck with this film, a task she didn't want, without anyone to trade with, and a deadline of tomorrow.

"Blackout scream." An appreciate whistle came over her shoulder, a familiar voice returning a smile to her face. "Some lucky lady won't be sleeping tonight, and this time, you can't blame me." He rested his back on the locker next to hers, the picture of carelessness. "How'd you land an advanced copy?"

"Detention again?" she guessed smartly.

"Disagreement with Chem lab." Eli shrugged it off and lifted the DVD case from her arms of folders. "So how'd you get this?"

"It's homework, you wouldn't like it." she teased.

"And here I thought DVD watching class was full." he sarcastically jibed, turning the DVD to the blurb, an appreciative eyebrow raised the further he read.

"It's for the paper, they want a review for the Halloween edition."

"And they chose you? What, they not letting you hide behind your flashy camera anymore?"

"The Halloween edition _tomorrow_." she expanded, sliding folders of completed work back into her locker, the extra time on the computers letting her polish off maths and physics homework. "It's short notice, they needed someone to pick it up, I volunteered." And boy was she regretting it.

"Good taste." he approved, passing it back with a smirk.

"You like?"

"Horrors? Sure, gives me a sick buzz." he joked. "Calms the inner need to kill that's burning inside me."

"Any chance you wanna do a review?"

"Woah, woah, what's this? Veronica Mars asking me to do her homework for her?!" he stepped away, hands in the air. "Somebody alert the press, this _has_ to go down in the history books." he laughed lightly but at her tired eyes he decided upon a different softer route. "Why you trying to pawn this off? Thought you volunteered."

"Just thought you might enjoy it more, but… I mean, I can see my kindness of going to waste on you." She reluctantly accepted the DVD back into her school bag and shut her locker door.

"Nah, that's not it." he mused. Some days, Eli could be damn perceptive. "Oh, oh, I get it. You're scared."

"I'm no-"

"Can't blame you, V. That's some gruesome cinematic history you got in your hands. But it's not going to be much of a review if you can't peel your fingers back from your eyes long enough to watch it." He grinned, but slid in with a proposition before she could abuse him. "Of course, if you were to ask nicely, maybe, perhaps I could come over and watch it with you. Hold your hand, make sure the bogeyman doesn't jump outta the closet while you hide behind your pillow."

"I don't nee-"

"I can't speak for all of the serial killers in the world, but most know to stay away from the leader of the PCH'ers." He stepped in front of her, walking backwards as she made her way to the parking lot. "But, you gotta ask real nice, V." he grinned, eyeballing her figure. "On your knees perhaps. Mouth open?"

"And here I thought the fact my dad was out of the state would be enough to earn your presence."

"So you **are** scared." he confirmed with a grin. "You want a little company." He slowed his walk until she stepped into him, his hands sliding to her hips, keeping her there. "Just say the magic word."

"You want magic words?" she smirked.

"I'd accept other forms to pleading too."

She leaned in close to him, lips by his ear.

"Empty." He could feel her breath tickle his neck. "Apartment." she whispered to him, the teasing bringing back up her mood.

"You can do better than that." he continued. "I ain't that easy V. What about my morals? My virtue? My dignity?" he slammed a hand to his heart, mock swooning.

"No ex-sherriff. No firearms in the house." She sweetened the pot, not that it was necessary, she knew Eli wouldn't let her down.

"And your mutt?"

"Perhaps I'm going to pick up a jumbo bone from the store tonight…" she taunted. Back-up wore himself out chewing on those bones. Half an hour of gnawing and he'd be asleep until sunrise.

"Perhaps?" he questioned, his hands curling her closer possessively. She doubted she could look more like a caveman's prize than in that moment. "So… your dad's out all night? He… uh, not leave any specific visitation instructions?"

She laughed.

"You mean did I get told to lock the door and put on my chastity belt?"

"Did you?" he asked, his hands groping her ass to check. Fingers grazed her skin and her ticklish squirm had her back out of his grasp again, a smile on her face.

"He's… _okay_ … with you visiting. Just… he said nothing kinky."

Eli paused for a moment, shaking his head slowly.

"Sometimes I really don't understand the relationship you have with your father. I mean, how much of what you two talk about is serious?"

"Neither of us know. I think it's better that way." Veronica came back to his side, linking her arm with his, fingers about to intertwine.

"Hey, what happened to school rules?" Eli protested, moving away, the too cutesy image shot back with sickly sweetness in the windows reflection.

"You mean the night janitor might snap a photo of you being all cushy on your girl? Why, it would ruin your bad ass reputation!" she turned to face him, hands on his forearms square on. "You wanna call me your bitch and slap my ass?" he shook her off and continued down the corridor fighting off a grin. "Throw me over your motorbike?" she suggested. "Just to get you back your cred?!" her voice echoed down the halls. "I could call you papi!" she offered, knowing he would be breaking his sealed lips with a grin. "So, I'll call you later about tonight?" she watched him ignore her, walking off to his motorbike. "Papi? Tonight?" she shouted across the lot.

Finally, she received a thumbs up from a hand shot into the sky.

* * *

It's going to be a three-parter and it will be short and sweet with a weird sense of humour throughout. Continue if you do so wish :)


	2. Like a bad movie from hell

**Chapter Two: Like a bad movie from hell, it'll be gone when the morning comes. **

Veronica had been in a relationship (of sorts) with Weevil since he rode in on his motorbike like her own personal Mexican leather-clad knight and scared the wrong side of the tracks back to where they belonged.

He'd given her hell about her adventures, made sure she swore to keep away. When she'd captured him with her big doe eyes and merely promised she'd try, he'd gotten so angry. He'd been her shadow on her PI work, whether besides her in the car or behind her on the bike, he wasn't letting her run off heading straight for danger again. Somewhere between long nights and too much teasing, some feelings had emerged.

When her father cut her PI work so she could focus on school, she half expected Eli to fade away as well. But her shadow stayed, even grew closer to her.

The familiar purr of his bike called out from the complex parking lot, she always had ears for that sound. Half of her was eager to greet Eli, the other half was staring at the DVD and acknowledging that the sooner Eli was here, the sooner they would be watching this piece of 'cinematic history'.

And apparently, whatever the review was, it was going to be in the history books.

Veronica had been on the schools intranet IM chat and texted everybody she knew to see if anyone would take this task from her hands, that way she could just watch a comedy with Eli and end the night as they usually did, with heavy petting and laughter.

But the response had been the same when the deadline had been disclosed for the 7am paper; not a chance in hell. This had led her to the online reviews.

She wasn't too proud to admit she had tried to cheat, and according to the online reviews she had planned to tear apart and stick back together in her own words, it was either A) the best horror movie EVER!, or B) A disgrace to the film industry, the producer should be put in a dark hole and never allowed near films again.

The bike's engine cut out and Veronica ran her fingers through her hair.

She wasn't going to let the newspaper print out with a giant section amiss, and she could hardly supply a different review when it had been hyped up so much in the previous issue.

Veronica made her way to the door, half reluctant in opening it.

The closer Eli came, so did the film.

"Yo V, ready for this masterpiece?" he greeted, making his way down the walkway, crash helmet under one arm, popcorn and strawberry twizzlers (her favourite) under the other. Eli knew how to charm a lady, when he wanted to. Apparently, this movie was enough for him to pull out all the stops. "I got a bet with Felix 'bout this." Veronica could see the size of his grin growing as he came closer.

"Yeah? You wanna invite your buddy too?" Two big bad bikers to protect her was way better than one.

"And have him making eyes at my girl?" he smirked, tossing the twizzlers to her as he approached, stepping into her personal space straight away as she belatedly reacted and caught them low. "You open the door to all your guests looking like this, V?" he teased, nudging her shoulder as he stepped into the apartment.

Neptune was in the middle of a heatwave and it wasn't getting any colder soon according to the weather forecast. Not that Veronica put any stock in the overweight balding man who stuttered over words whilst pointing at nothingness of a green screen.

With the helmet on the breakfast bar and popcorn bag thrown to the sofa, Eli had his hands free to greet Veronica how he liked best; hands on. "Hey," he smiled, hands to her small waist, easily sliding under the tiny lace tank top to pull her to him. The door closed without her weight holding it back and it locked them away from prying neighbourhood eyes. "Hound asleep?" he asked softly, his eyes penetrating hers in a way that only Eli could. Like he could read her entire day with one deep gaze.

"Didn't even have to lace the t-bone with a sedative." She grinned, casting her eyes down from the intensity, they fell naturally to the dog bed by the sofa where Back-up lay, sleepily lifting his head to confirm the new, yet familiar, presence. A pathetic growl slipped from his jaws, one that turned Eli's head faster than cop sirens.

A quick snap of the tongue from Veronica and the pooch huffed before dropping his head back to his paws.

"Damn dog's worse than your father."

"It's not his fault; he can smell the criminal element." she defended the dog that had saved her arse in stake-outs more times that Eli.

"And I'm the criminal element?" he asked with tease, his nose running up her neckline, drinking in her sweet perfume and the way the blush of his attentions crawled up her neck.

"Yeah. But you're my criminal element."

Eli wiggled his eyebrows proudly before sliding his hand further up her back, confirming his earlier observations that young Miss Mars had elected to abhor her bra in the current climate. In a rough act of arousal, he tugged her to his lips.

He was hot, heavy and precisely the distraction she needed.

Maybe she could flirt her way into Weevil doing her homework for her.

Veronica latched onto the idea with both hands, grabbing his shoulders in answers to the scorcher of a kiss. She tugged and spun, pressing his body to the wall and lifting to her tiptoes against his body, deepening the kiss in a way that had her blood burning.

If Eli was surprised by Veronica's move, his body didn't show it, he seamlessly responded, moving to cradle her ass in those 'too-short to be anything but sexy' sleep shorts she wore as she tangled her legs around his hips.

Veronica fit to him like she was made. She traced her tongue to his lips like he could promise her all the stars in the sky with a kiss. She tasted like the mint of her toothpaste, the one that fizzed all through his mouth and made him crave more.

And then, with her nails scraping down his head, like she always did after he told her it turned him on massively, he realised her game plan.

"V, we got a film to watch." he breathed against her, letting her try to seduce him with her lips sucking his earlobe. Another trick spot to get Eli hard as a rock in seconds.

Jesus Christ.

Eli was torn between 'fuck it and fuck her' and 'she's only doing this to avoid doing something else'. So Eli went for the safest route of putting his hands on Veronica's hips and urging for some distance between them.

Anchored with her legs around his hips, Veronica leaned back from the horny biker and realised her plan had turned see-through.

"You really scared about this V, ain't ya?" Those eyes were back, searching her for all the truths she didn't want to speak. Damn, he was on fire with his perception today, he was reading her like a damn book.

Veronica unlocked her legs and slid down him, taking the few steps to the counter to grab the twizzlers for an excuse to avoid his eyes. For the criminal element, he was damn observant, and resistant to primal urges.

"No, I mean, it's just actors in make-up right?" She smiled at him around the twizzler in her mouth, her lips wrapped around the red sugary delight.

Eli moved slow and precise, taking off the leather jacket as he walked closer, all the time reading her body language and deciding how to play her.

"Why volunteer?" he finally asked, jacket joining the crash helmet on the breakfast bar.

"It's not like I planned it this way." she admitted softly. "It needs to be in by 7am for printing and I can't find anyone else to do it."

"Still trying to pawn off your homework V?" he grinned. "You're earning a rep."

"Please, when was the last time _you_ did homework?" she joked.

"Get your sexy butt on the sofa." He rolled his eyes and gave her a soft shove in that direction. He grabbed the popcorn and walked past her slow speed to pick his favourite spot, easily making himself at home across the corner seat, arms spread on the back of the seat. "Before I die of old age, V." he added, seeing her dither in her tiny outfit as she contemplated all the other way out of her immediate future.

"They'll be more stuff online I can copy from."

"Adding plagiarism to your criminal history now? What would Back-up say?" he jested. "Now get your ass here and let's watch the damn movie twinkletoes."

"Twinkletoes?" She cocked out a hip at the nickname.

"Yeah, and if you don't move then, I'm sure there's a nice mass murderer who'll cut them off for you." He grinned, but the sentiment worked and Veronica crossed the room like it was hot coals, curling her body into Eli's shape and her toes firmly under her bare legs.

As temporary man of the house, he claimed the remote and hit play, his arm wrapped protectively around his girl.

* * *

Ten minutes into the opening sequence, Veronica had verbally highlighted all of her predictions for death in an attempt to block out fear by foreseeing it.

It wasn't working, she had shrunk herself into the cushions of the sofa and his body.

Nobody has even died yet.

Eli rolled his eyes and smothered a chuckle.

He had a bet going with Felix that the film's hype was just that; hype and it would suck butt.

Felix knew a cousin's stepfather's girlfriend who was an extra in the film and swore it was going to be 'legendary'. Weevil was sure enough to bet money that if any director had hired any relative (however loosely tied) of Felix's, it was going to be a shitty film filled with clichés and bad acting.

So far, Eli was right.

A good horror built tension from the first minute, it built a plot upon relatable characters and stepped away from the temptation to gore-porn it.

So far, Eli was cheering for the mass murderers to-be to kill the yappy blonde cheerleader that annoyed the fuck out of him with her petty trivial issues made to seem real. He was seconds away from snoring at the feeble attempt at plot. Worse, he was not impressed by the predictive quality of the 'bad guy' to create fear through gore-porn.

This was not going to be legendary unless the hall of fame was 'worst horror movie ever made'.

It didn't stop Veronica from freezing as un-necessary tension music began to build.

He could laugh himself to death at the bad acting. But for Veronica, it was a horror movie and that fact alone had her on the edge of fear constantly.

Bored and with the intention to offer some distraction to Veronica, he summoned up his most reliable form of entertainment for the horror genre, a game he called 'who's next?'

"Who'd ya think's gunna die first V?" he nudged her to gain her attention, ignoring how she jumped at his movement.

She had been wrapped up in the group of nine students that the viewer was meant to associate with that were wandering through the foreign city late at night, looking for a cheap hotel to stay at after their asshole jock of a friend had forgotten to book them when asked. Typical.

"I don't know." she appeared puzzled by the question. "I mean, this guy doesn't seem to have a MO." All the audience knew so far was that 29 college students had gone 'missing'.

"Pick one." he encouraged. "And I'll pick one and whoever's guess dies first wins the last twizzler."

Usually, Eli played with money with the boys, but somehow Veronica didn't strike him as the type to take it so blasé.

"Oh, umm, okay. Well, the blonde is in heels." The blonde cheerleader aforementioned as Eli's 'god I hope she dies soon' player was a good choice. "She probably can't fight back, and unless she goes with one of the other football players who _clearly_ want to bone her, she isn't going to stand much of a chance against a murderer or kidnapper." Logic. "And the other girls seems smarter, and the guys seem like to big targets first, so… her."

Eli grinned at Veronica's choice. He liked the way she thought.

He liked the way she would dissect apart any situation whether it was a 'client' she'd follow in her Le-Baron because of a gut-instinct or how Eli always groaned louder when she sucked his ear. Veronica was smart to say the lease. "What about you?" she asked, her eyes turning up at him from where she hid next to him, the fear lessening simply by the distraction of his question.

He decided to keep her talking, distract her from the thin plot as they approached an expensive looking hotel open with dramatically reduced pricing as the interior renovations were carried out.

"There's a theory that blondes die first." he agreed.

"Oh yeah, but don't they save the pretty ones until last." she retorted, her brow furrowing ever so cutely as she pondered her own countering point.

"You think she's pretty, V?" he chuckled, feeling her relax against him as he did.

"Umm, I can see two big reasons not to kill her yet right on her chest." V replied darkly, hand extended to the screen to make her point as the blonde in question tittered along on her fragile heels into the discounted hotel with flickering electric but otherwise 5 star rooms.

"So not the blonde first?" he asked.

Veronica opened her mouth for a reply but turned sharp to the screen for a high pitched scream.

The film earned its name then and there. The electricity had blacked out in the hotel and the hopefully-first-to-die blonde had screamed. Of course, the electricity had come back on a second later and the concierge who was creepier than a smiling, blood-covered clown apologised, explaining it was the reason for the drastic price slashing.

"What about the black guy?" Veronica asked as her pulse slowed once more. "Don't they always die quickly?"

* * *

Half an hour into the movie, they were three college students down and Eli was starting to senselessly question the title. Although a lot of the kidnapping happened in the well timed blackouts through secret doors and panels which caused the screams, he had another observation to make. With the overly graphic nature of the torture-porn, the victims screamed themselves hoarse, that, paired with the pain often let them to blackout.

So, was it the blackout that cause the scream, or the scream that caused the blackout?

Eli had grown tired of the film entirely, to put it succinctly; it was shit. It was filled with plot holes that couldn't be explained by any conclusion in the world (save for alien time travel and interference), it was attempted gore-scares that fell short for him. He could name 25 other movies that had half this budget and were 10 times scarier.

But, with the way that Veronica curled up against him, clinging to him like he was her sole protector, he couldn't bring himself to demand she turn it off.

He felt pride fill him as his body became a shield to the psychological torment Veronica felt.

Maybe it was sadistic, maybe it was wrong, but Eli couldn't deny how much he liked being needed by Veronica. If only for the mental security against a fictional enemy.

The tough walls of Veronica Mars had fallen to him, over a stupidly terrible horror movie.

He needed to introduce her to the real hardcore stuff; how would she need him then?

Another secret panel in the wall was shown opening with a gloved hand creeping around (cliché) and Veronica shrunk into him again, her hands squeezing the arm she had stolen to cuddle around.

Veronica peered from behind the biker's bicep as the girls readied themselves for another night out on the town. Despite losing their friends, they had no objection to a night out at all, something Veronica didn't understand but didn't question. They continued with the make-up, completely oblivious to the shadow that crawled out from the hidden door in their bathroom. How did they not notice how he hid peering out at them undressing from the wardrobe?! How could they go so numbly through their lives?! Did they not realise they were being sized up to become the next human suit for a sadistic psychopath?!

"V, you wanna sort out the death grip you got there?" Eli whispered as soft as he could. It took a second to register but she peeled her fingers from his soon to be purple arm.

"They are so incessantly stupid, they don't even know they're about to be killed." she squeaked as she turned back to the screen to see one of the girls reach blindly into the wardrobe, surely sacrificing her arm to the psychopath, but it retracted unharmed and safe.

"Hilarous, right." he scoffed a laugh, but Veronica met his eyes with something that showed no hilarity. "Relax V, they're already dead anyway." He nudged her to turn back to the screen. "That's that stupid jock wanting to apologise and bone her," he predicted and as he spoke, the girls opened the door to said apologetic Jock. "The girls will go back to their room and leave her alone with him. They'll start to have sex and then, they may as well already be dead." he commented.

"What?" she turned to him, the screen showing the other girls leaving the room and leaving the red head hottie cheerleader with the quarterback.

"Horror movies 101; you have sex, you're gunna die."

It was as the words left his mouth Eli regretted them, he has just effectively cock-blocked himself for the entire night. Veronica missed the poorly smothered groan that departed his lips. He'd just terrified her away from him for the entire night.

"What?" she asked again, confusion rife. "Sex gets you killed?"

He could lie, he could backtrack, but his fate was sealed.

He decided to follow through, resigning himself.

"Horror 101." he repeated simply.

"Okay, so what else is 101?"

He turned to her deep eyes, seeing a need for understanding in them. Eli might not have book smarts, he might not even have the intelligence to ensure he got some action from his damsel in horror movie distress, but Eli had his street smarts.

Eli knew his horror movies in and out.

And from Veronica's burning gaze, she wanted him to share.

"Alright, so, the lights are out in the house and the fuse box is in the basement, do you go down there alone?"

"Do I have a brain injury?!" she retorted with sarcasm and a scoff "God no am I going down there." Her answer brought a grin to his lips, a dash of pride hit him again; his babe wasn't stupid.

"You buy a doll that you think is moving by itself and watching you."

"Burn it. On the spot. Until you have a pile of ash." Veronica answered, earning a pleased squeeze from her big bad biker. "So like, never ask 'who's there?' and tell the killer your location?" she tested.

"You find an open window that you didn't open." he suggested.

"Has the tension music started?" she asked smartly.

"Building as you discover it."

"Get the hell out of the house. Most conveniently though said window." Perhaps these Horror movie rules weren't so difficult. And yet so many people in movies ignored them.

"You find out the last occupants of your new house died in a violent murder-suicide."

"Move." she was quick to supply.

"Cheap mansion miles away from any other house or town, real nice, real cheap. Real shady realtor."

"Tell him to fuck right off." She grinned.

"There's a mad axe murderer after you and your friends. They're all asleep after telling you to take watch, but you are so sleepy?"

"Mad _axe_ you say, well, I only have one choice: hire a bunch of bikers to protect me." she spoke, then expanded. "And while they are sleeping leaving a sign that says 'take them and leave me; I'll never tell' before leaving town under a new name with said bikers."

"Gunna be expensive, V."

"Well, obviously all the asshole friends that fell asleep and left me alone have all loaned me their credit cards previous to their demise."

"Creative planning V. Last test for Horror 101 class." he narrated. "Someone hit the bad guy and he's dropped to the floor, you go over to poke him to check he's dead?"

"Uh, obviously I unload a gun clip into his body to check he is really dead or continue to beat him until you see spinal fluid leak from his ears." she darkly replied, impressing even Eli. "People poke murderers?" she asked softly, a quick glance to the tv confirming that the asshole male was apologising with kisses instead of words.

"Egotistical acts, always lead to death." he supplied softly, slouching further into the couch now he wasn't required to play shield to his girl again.

"So much for street smarts." she spoke under her breath, changing position with Eli to rest her legs over his, quickly wrapped by his arms as she snuggled into his side once more.

The movie progressed as expected and the hottie with the damn fine body was sat on the bed, her forgiven man stood between her open legs, lip locked and fumbling with a bra.

100% distracted.

Which is when we flip to see the gloved hand of the serial killer extend from under the bed. The murder weapon in hand and likely to deliver a painful slow death.

He lined it up with the ankle of the dame.

"You know, this chic could save herself." Eli narrated, noting how Veronica was being drawn in again. Veronica's attention flashed to him, an invitation to explain. "She should take advantage of the situation of using her body to distract her man, grab the lamp from the bedside and use it to hobble him. It would sacrifice him to the murderer and let her escape."

To build tension, the serial killer appeared to move the knife undecided on who to slice first; the man or the woman.

"How do you know he wouldn't just go for her first?"

"Say you're a sadistic killer, would you rather deal with the petite weak red head or the muscle first? Your first move is going to be most effective, so, wouldn't you rather deal with the hardest first and take your time with the pretty one?"

"Point taken." she conceded, then there was the familiar Mars head tilt that came with a wicked thought. "So, according to horror movie logic. I'm safer if there's a muscled guy in the room with me?"

"Kinda good advice for all of life V." he grinned, tugging her legs closer to him and earning a smile.

"Guess I hit the jackpot." But Veronica had turned back to the TV in time to see the weapon cut skin, tendons and almost bone in one clean strike. The movie screamed as Veronica turned to hide her face in Eli's chest, her hands over her ears though it did very little.


	3. Paradise by the TV light

**Chapter Three: Paradise by the TV's light**

With 20 minutes left of the movie and two teenagers left; the bookworm brunette and the pretty rich boy, the tension was building again, this time, a different way.

At this point, Veronica had sat with him to watch seven students be tortured and killed in a variety of ways in the underground of a large city, adding to a large total of teenage bones that littered the sewers. The cops were running around blind, calling 'missing persons' to cover the lack of homicide evidence and no body.

Well, there wouldn't be a body with the meat was eaten, the skin used to decorate and the bones easily discarded.

Eli had however, found one positive about the movie.

Usual horror movies of this description focussed on the 'bad guy' being a one person or two person team. This revolved around a group of cultists who believed they were cleansing the city, honouring the gods and ensuring themselves an afterlife beyond compare. It wasn't a new concept, but it wasn't a cliché, which Eli could not say about the rest of the movie. Of course, that positive point lost value when you considered the practical application of a cult; all it took was one member to brag or complain and then the whole operations could be blown apart. At least when you murdered alone, you didn't have to worry about an accomplice freaking out and ratting you out. This cult had a wonderful initiation ceremony for the newest member which involved the sexual violation of the screaming brunette (when he realised where it was going, Eli requested Veronica hid her eyes in his shirt for the scene; she didn't protest and willingly went until Eli gave her the all clear) but you had to consider that that new member was not 100% sold on the procedure and required a lot of ribbing to go ahead, that would take a psychological toll on the man and someone would notice, someone would ask what happened, and like the little sheep he was; he would tell some wolf at some point. He was the obvious weak link in the group, but apparently, that didn't get considered in the plot.

Eli started to believe he had gotten so bored with the horror he had began to overthink it in ways his brain would never do at school.

"So, she's dead?" Veronica asked, stirring him from his thoughts.

The brunette had finally given in to the rich boy, letting him pull out her too-tight bun and run his fingers through her hair in a way that would only ever lead to sex.

"Perhaps." Eli noted aloud. "Maybe one will survive, get away to 'tell the story'."

"But you said sex gets you killed." Of course she remembered that bit of what he said. She lifted her face to him again. "I don't get it."

"It destroys hope for the audience." he explained. "You want them to get it on and where there's hope, there's a chance to destroy it and make you scared of ever being happy again. But, these are already damaged enough that even if they have sex; they won't be happy. They just saw their best friend get kidnapped."

Veronica looked at him for a few seconds too long. "What?"

"That's awfully deep for you Weevil." she commented with jest. "Have you been hanging out with the clever kids behind the bike shed and trading philosophy lessons?"

He chuckled in response.

"You caught me, V. I'm blowing all my money on education; just can't get enough."

"What would your abuela say?" she joked, the directors allowing the sex scene to flow uninterrupted.

"You know, she kinda looks like you."

"Your gran?"

"Nah, the nerdy chic."

Veronica turned back to the tv to see the naked brunette laid out on the bed. "Kinda got your figure, V." Veronica felt his hands slide up her legs to the curve of her hips and down once more. "Your tiny waist." Veronica had watched a sex scene on a comedy with Eli before, it had been awkward. Somehow, this wasn't. "Your 'more than handful' tits." he laughed, his breath fanning across her neck as he leaned in close.

"Would I survive?" she asked softly, turning her lips to him.

"With me by your side, hell yeah." he promised.

Once again, his earthy aftershave was intruding her senses. "Go get your laptop, V." he breathed against her neck, eyes closed, drunk on her.

"It's not finished." She turned her head to the couple on the bed getting busy.

"You have a report to write and I'm sure you've got enough material, V."

"Oh, yeah." Veronica realised that Eli was right, she couldn't disclose the ending anyway, and she had watched all the way through enough to write the review.

Freed from her own torment, Veronica was quick onto her feet, flitting into the bedroom to grab her laptop while Eli re-arranged himself into comfort. He had trouble watching sex scenes when V was wrapped around him like a second skin. A horror put her as close as she could get and the lass on the tv was almost a mirror image in body shape to V. If V dyed her hair brown, Eli could easily see her as the woman on the tv. A tight little body designed to be held by a man.

"I can't believe they are still alive." Veronica lifted a little laugh as she returned to sit next to him, laptop open and the light from the screen illuminating her and those tight little nipples that poked through her vest.

Eli turned back to the screen as Veronica wriggled to get comfy in her seat.

Veronica paused with the open word document in screen.

Surely she was bias, she hated all horror movies, the entire genre needed scrapping in her opinion. But that wasn't what a Halloween edition newspaper wanted to hear.

Did she write out a full blow by blow? Did she leave it all in mystery?

With a 500 word max space, she was torn between 'I don't think I'll sleep tonight' scary and 'I'd never watch it again' superiority.

"You watch a lot of horrors." she nudged Eli. "Is this good?"

He breathed out a smug laugh.

"Write your opinion first, V. I'll give it a read over afterwards."

"Eli Nevarro proof reading my homework, who thought we'd ever see that day." she mumbled to herself, deciding to start the review with setting the scene.

Due to the supposed controversy of the current critic reviews, the paper wanted a definitive answer for pro or con, Veronica found this task more and more difficult as she continued.

She lifted her eyes back to the screen at another ear piercing scream. The nerdy brunette was running down the hotel corridor in her underwear chased by cultists in robes armed to the teeth with blood dripping from them. No doubt the blood of her recently departed or currently departing lover.

"He die?" V asked from the 200 words she had at current, amazed she had been too focussed to see his death.

"She slept through it. Apparently." Eli's distaste came across clear. The plot holes were growing larger.

"Think she'll get away?"

"Dunno." And Weevil genuinely didn't know. If they did let her live, it would make for a good sequel opener, but who wanted a sequel of this shit?

The brunette broke out into the city. The 5am crowd was drunkards that hootered at the half naked girl but ignored her calls for assistance. The men continued their pursuit, the night of Halloween making their blood covered guises easily fall into the crowd.

The brunette ran until she was out of breath and ran straight into the arms of a police officer.

The film cut to black then back to her sat in the police station with a cup of coffee and blanket covering her.

"So she lives." Veronica smiled. A happy ending.

"Dunno." She turned to see Eli narrow his eyes at the tv. "Seems off."

"It's not off, you just don't enjoy a horror unless everyone is dead." she teased him. "See," she narrated. "The nice officer that saved her is taking her home and making sure she is safe and is probably going to end up falling in love with her and marrying her, but that doesn't make for a good horror movie ending, so they cut it before they have their first kiss." Veronica grinned, feeling smart now she had survived a horror movie.

But then Eli smiled.

"Nope." Smug as a bug in a rug he turned to Veronica. "Wait for it." His grin threatened to break his face.

Veronica watched as the cop car pulled into an old warehouse and the brunette started to question the now silent officer. Alarmed, she tugged at the car doors, but locked in like a prisoner she was going nowhere.

It was then the camera panned to the warehouse doors that opened to the cultists emerging, then flashed to the crooked officer in the car, he turned back to give the victim a smile, his hand raising to signal the approaching men which, as the sleeve pulled back, clearly showed the tattooed markings of the cult on his wrist.

The film cut to end on the policeman cultists smile.

"No, wait." Veronica argued with the screen. "She might survive." she protested. "She could be a hidden kung fu goddess and when they open the door, she kills them all and takes over the cult from the inside, purifying it."

"Or. More likely, she gets gang raped, skinned and eaten. Possibly in that order."

"This is a sick film." Veronica announced. "Is it sick and it is twisted, and it is wrong."

"And it's shit." Eli couldn't help but add.

"It is?" she asked.

"V." he turned to face her, all serious. "If you ever ask me to watch this again with you. I will shoot myself first."

"That's not going to be happening." she laughed. "I am done with horrors." She turned back to her laptop. "Once I get this done." she amended. "And then I get to sleep before school… if I ever get to sleep without nightmares." she groaned and dropped her face into her hands.

"Give it here." Eli didn't give her much option and grabbed the laptop from her lap. Nestled on his lap, he grabbed the tv remote and changed it to some brainless sitcom was she sure to love.

* * *

Veronica put in her comments for her fear factor as a horror virgin, but Eli managed the summary with devotion and class, making reference to other movies in the genre that shared shocking similarities that Eli suspected had been robbed.

"A'ight V." he checked the time on the digits of the oven and stretched out his limbs. "I'm heading out. It's late." As Veronica had repeated; sex got you killed, and he doubted she was willing to roll the dice so soon after watching that shit-show of a movie.

"Woah no." she physically put herself in front of his exit.

"V, it's 2am. I got work at the autoshop too tomorrow, a'ight." But she stole the crash helmet before he could touch it.

"You can't leave." Her words were forceful.

"I can't stay here." Whether he'd admit it or not, watching Veronica's body shape being ploughed by a rich little white kid had given him all kinds of spank bank material that needed addressing. Staying all night at V's with a hard on from hell wasn't his idea of a great night.

"Why not? My dad won't be back until tomorrow night, back-up is knocked out."

Eli took all of three seconds to see through her.

"You're still scared." he observed with a smile.

"I am not!" she swore defiantly.

"Then you don't mind if I sleep in my own bed tonight?" he teased, fully intending to not do that, not when V was calling out for him. Hard-on or not, if she was scared; he knew he would stay.

"No." she cut his path again. "I just mean I'd feel better if you stayed."

"Places to be, V." he teased, reaching out for his crash helmet and letting her snatch it close, then settling it on the counter behind her body.

"Really?" Satisfied with her defence, she turned to an offense. In one slow, fail-safe technique she hiked one leg to his hip, her fingers fisting for balance on his shirt. "You won't stay with me?"

"You using me for my body V?" he grinned.

"I'll make it worth your while."

"Solicitation." he purred against her neck. "Heck of a list of crimes tonight."

"Sex kills." she replied, backing up a little. "I just wanted to take advantage of my protection detail." She grinned.

"Protection detail needs a reason to stay, V. And that sofa isn't good enough for my back." he feigned.

"What about the serial killers?" she pleaded. "You'll let them kill me?"

"Too selfish for that, V." he grinned playfully and ensnared her again. "Let me sleep in your bed though, might consider some 1 on 1 protection."

"I'll even agree to be in the bed with you, papi." She smiled, knowing he had a secret thing for the nickname. "But let's be clear, if anyone tries to attack us, I retain my right to hobble you and run away. I will not stand screaming over your corpse-to-be when I can be hightailing it."

"Thought you were meant to be seducing me here, V."

"You get turned on by a stiff wind, haha." she laughed. "Don't think I didn't notice you getting your freak on to a horror movie."

"Hey, she looked damn like you, V."

"No she didn't."

"Did too." He dropped to his knees. "She had these long ass creamy legs." He rose his hands to the short shorts that her ass cheeks peeked out from as they rode up. "A perfect bubble butt just asking for a spanking." To make a point, he slapped his right hand hard against her cheek, rejoicing in the squeak she provided in return, the glaze that took over her eyes. "Tiny waist." He promised to admire the curve of her ass later, but moved his hands over her hips to the teeny tiny waist, fingers under the lace of her vest. "Perfect body." He slid his hands up higher, bunching the vest as he went. "Handful tits that begged to be touched." His palms ran over her peaked nipples as he stood to his feet, pulling the vest up and over her head as she lifted her arms.

Naked chested, Veronica felt herself demanding the same from Eli.

Less elegantly, she tugged at the hem once and he took the hint, yanking the collar from behind his head over and off.

"I am not being killed for having sex with you." she voiced.

"You won't." he promised. "I'll kill him first if anyone dares to interrupt us."

"You think your seduction can make me forget my horror 101 lesson?" she joked.

"In that case." Part of Veronica expected him to leave, what she didn't expect was Eli to hook his fingers into her shorts, and walk her to the bedroom, his eyes drinking in her thoughts. "Guess we'll have to do everything but."

"As long as I don't tempt fate."

"The only fate likely to want death over you having sex is currently out of town on a case, and trust me; he'd only be wanting **me** dead. Not you." He smirked, grinning as the bedroom door closed on any chance of the master's pooch interrupting his night.

"I suppose you may have a point." she conceded, batting her eyelids at him.

"Yeah?" he asked drawing her closer, putting her between his open legs as he sat at the edge of her bed. It put him at the perfect height to give the attention he wanted to her breasts.

He earned a gasp and a breathy moan as he sealed his lips over her budded nipple.

"If this get me killed." she breathed between moans. "I am going to haunt you 24/7." she promised darkly.

"Relax V," He popped the nipple from his mouth, sliding his hands down her bare smooth back to converge around the top of her pyjama shorts. "If you put on a good enough show, the serial killer can get his kicks in other ways tonight." He gave her a wink as he dragged the shorts over her perfectly rounded ass along with her knickers.

"Just the serial killer?" she teased, stepping out of her clothing and lifting her legs to straddle Eli's on the bed.

Instantly, he leaned back to admire the view.

Veronica came with a bunch of problems, but as soon as she got in a horny mood she was the bravest, boldest and most beautiful thing he had ever seen with a single minded focus; getting off.

Her fingers splayed on the back of his neck, her nails lightly announcing their presence to him in a way that shot straight to his dick.

"V, you're hot as hell."

She rewarded his compliment with a massage of his neck tattoos.

"Yeah, what you gunna do about it?" she teased.

His answer was to snap an arm around her waist, lift his hips and throw her over onto the bed, putting him exactly where he wanted to be; in control.

"You know I'd never let anything happen to ya, V." he swore darkly, a promise that came with all of the evil she expected from the criminal element in him. Put short; Eli had no qualms about killing for her.

A passion that would scare a lesser woman.

Veronica saw it for what it was; a declaration so pure it couldn't be answered in kind without blood being shed. "Besides," he smirked, his hand stroking down her curls. "Kinda like you needing me."

"Don't get used to it." She ground up against his erection and realised the clothing balance was way out of sync. Her free hands both went to the belt buckle and zip sheathing him.

"Kinda like you wanting me here to protect you, V." he trailed his lips back down her neck between words. "Needing me." He kissed down her chest, between the valley of her breasts as she rose to meet him. Unbuckled and free, she shuffled her reach as far down as the clothes would go before taking the length in hand. "Begging me to stay the night." he finished with a smile, his lips curved as they rested above her left breast, his features showing how he appreciated the attentions.

"I didn't beg." she argued as she ran her closed fist up and down his length, speeding up with his pants of breath.

"Begging me to protect you." he continued in a breath, his own fingers fast to reciprocate and sliding between her legs finding the evidence of her arousal wet, warm and 100% ready. "To save you." he continued, pushing a fingers into her and earning a heady moan. "You needed me."

"Just tonight. Just in case I need someone to hobble." she breathed out hard, grinding her hips down on his finger, her free hand grasping him to push for more.

He grinned, biting at a peaked nipple gently as he provided what she wanted once more.

She responded by rolling a thumb over his swollen head, adding just a little squeeze with her quickening motions.

He started concentric circles over her sensitive clit in pairing with the two fingers that curled up inside her.

One gave and the other gave again. On and on until the mess of limbs on the bed resembled the sweat sexually satisfied teenagers without parents home, rather than the bloodied discarded mess of serial killers as they had seen on the tv all night.

Spent and satiated, Veronica was in Eli's strong arms, fighting heavy eyelids.

For all the tease and fear, Veronica knew Eli would protect her.

He had done so since they had first started this relationship, she doubted he would ever stop.

Lying in his arms, she felt more protected than if she would have lived in a sealed vault or ivory tower.

The man would stop at nothing for her.

Even after watching actors (and once more she reminded herself that the memories of that movie were just actors) kill for pleasure, she felt safe in his presence.

She highly doubted that would add the required effect to the film review though. Not everyone had an Eli.

"Shit." Veronica suddenly groaned, stirring Eli.

"What?" Eli grumbled, pulling her closer as she attempted to move. "I know it wasn't everything, but it wasn't bad V. Rather enjoyed it." he chuckled softly.

"No, I forgot to email it across."

"What?" Eli asked, wrapping his arm tighter around her.

"The review."

Eli groaned aloud his displeasure. He was comfy damn it.

"Fine, fine." He released her back into the duvet but stood plucking clothing from the floor. "I'll do it. Just sleep, V. You look knackered."

"Really?" The backhanded sentiment came without an option for her to complain as he was already pulling boxers up his legs.

"Yeah yeah. 'm thirsty anyway." He dropped a kiss to her forehead and watched her curl into the bedding.

"Thanks Eli."

* * *

Veronica's 'thanks' to Eli ran out in 15 short hours when she was sat in the newspaper editorial room moving pictures of the pumpkin carving contest winners on the screen to best overlay in the current space limitations for the All Saints Day issue.

"Veronica." Miss Deloy claimed the seat next to her with a smile. "Your review this morning was fantastic. So passionate with the way you worded your opinion about the directorial debut. I never knew you were such a film fanatic."

"Oh," surprised and slightly concerned she needed to re-read what she had sent, she accepted the compliment. "Well, you know me, just love the films."

"I'm glad to hear it because I have this for you." Miss Deloy slid a DVD across to her, the cover showed a burning guy on a bonfire, the title was slanted and blood red, it spoke 'Bonfire Burns 2'. "As a reward for such a good review I couldn't help but fulfil your request for more. Hopefully this will be just as passionately written." Miss Deloy beamed at her with pride. "Just in time for the November 5th, I wanted to showcase the british tradition of Guy-Fawkes night, and what better than a film review of its latest horror adaption."

A groan of frustration cut off Veronica's own confused reply and Miss Deloy was across the room to deal with the system crash of another student.

Veronica whipped out her mobile.

 _What did you request to the newspaper?!_

But Eli was most probably in detention without access to his phone.

Veronica was quick to log onto her student mail sent box and find the offending mail.

There, in the email main message was a request from 'Veronica' asking for all the film (especially horror) reviews she could get her hands on.

Veronica ground her teeth.

She was going to kill Eli.

Violently.

Until he blacked out screaming!

* * *

Thank you muchly for reading/scrolling through. If you've left a review, I would like to give you good karma for your deed. Huge thank you :)

Also, if you really really wanna thank me, maybe you could write some fanfiction yourself? I've run out of new fics (in a variety of categories) to read and I need more! Haha.


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